Obituary of Frank Mancil

Graveside service for Coach Frank Mancil, age 80, of Columbia, LA will be held Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at Columbia Hill Cemetery, in Columbia, LA. Visitation will be Saturday, April 5, 2014 from 4 - 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Columbia. Frank Mancil's love of basketball began in his early years of school. He lead his high school team, Pleasant Home, AL, to a state title at the University of Alabama. He was named to the Alabama All-State Basketball team. He came to Louisiana College on a scholarship and lettered all four years that he played for the Wildcats. After graduation, he began his coaching career at Kelly High School. He then moved to Columbia High School where he coached until the consolidation of the new high school, Caldwell Parish High School. He was head coach for both boys basketball and baseball for many years. He was named Louisiana Coach of the Year in basketball in 1968 and then named Louisiana Coach of the Year in baseball after he lead his team to the state championship in 1972. After he retired from teaching and coaching, Coach Mancil was the director of the Caldwell Parish Recreation Center in Columbia for 20 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Columbia. Frank Mancil tirelessly poured his life into the youth of Caldwell Parish. He had a sign over the door of his office made famous by Theodore Roosevelt that read "Speak softly, and carry a big stick" and Coach Mancil not only lived by this slogan but encouraged his players to do the same. The number of lives that have been touched for the better by this man are many. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy, his memory, his smile, his sense of humor and his positive outlook on life, will live on in his family and friends forever. Coach Mancil was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Cullen Mancil; mother and father -in-Law, Mr. and Mrs. Otis Sowers; son, Frank David Mancil, Jr; sisters: Claudia Bell O'Cain and Georgia Stevens; brothers: Luther, Hubert, Carl and William Mancil. He is survived by his wife, Sherril Ruth Mancil; sons: David Kendall Mancil of Monroe and Frank Keith Mancil and wife, Kathy of Sulphur, LA; daughters: Karla Kay Mancil Johnson and husband, James of Alexandria, LA and Kristen Kara Mancil of Monroe; sister, Ina Garner of Andalusia, AL; grandchildren: Jason Blalock and wife, Leah, Rebekah Blalock Skluzacek and husband, Morey, Timothy Blalock, Kelli Mancil and Kullen Mancil; great-grandchildren: Jillian Blalock and Addison Blalock. Pallbearers will be Jason Blalock, Timothy Blalock, James Johnson, Morey Skluzacek, Chris Woods, Cary McGuffee, and John Patterson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund.